A personal real-life example
An improved perspective as seasonal worker after returning home
Tanja from Serbia
Tanja and her husband have been working as seasonal workers in Serbia for over 10 years. But for a long time, they could not make a living from their income. That’s why the 32-year-old decided to migrate to Germany together with her husband and her little daughter in 2015, hoping to find work and new perspective there.
The small family lived in Germany for over a year, but Tanja was unable to work there. She was dependent on social benefits and lived with her family in an accommodation for asylum seekers. That’s why she and her husband decided to return to Serbia.
Back in Serbia, Tanja wanted to work in the area of seasonal work again. To her delight, she was able to benefit from the measures of the BMZ project „Modernization of the Municipal Services”. The project measures also include improving working conditions for seasonal workers and increasing employment opportunities in the field of seasonal agriculture.
The project supported the development of a portal that simplified the registration process for employers. As a result, labour rights were improved and illicit work was reduced. In addition, recruitment via the platform guarantees a minimum wage, payment into the pension fund and health insurance. Safety and occupational safety conditions are also regulated. It has also been ensured that workers do not lose their right to pension even in times when they are not employed and receive social benefits.
Tanja is one of over 30,000 seasonal workers who benefited from setting up the portal in 2019. She and her husband are happy with their current situation. The working conditions have improved significantly in her area compared to before and Tanja now wants to stay in Serbia.